Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

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Wahid Ooi

New Middleweight 800cc Honda Africa Twin in the Works?

Honda has just filed the patents for a new 800cc engine.
It could be the platform for an 800cc Honda Africa Twin.
The patents also show it being equipped with DCT.

Honda has just filed the patents for a new 800cc parallel-Twin engine. While the patent documents show a naked bike like the previous Hornet 650, they may just be working on a much-awaited middleweight 800cc Honda Africa Twin.

Big Red has acknowledged that they lack a middleweight adventure. Indeed, the gap is too large between the CRF250L/CRF250 Rally and Africa Twin 1100. An 800cc adventurer fills this gap nicely.

But let’s get back to the patent.

The engine should also be the replacement for the current 745cc engine which has been in the market since 2014. It’s also the platform for an entire range of Honda bikes including the X-Adv crossover scooter, NC750D Integra scooter, NC750S naked bike and NC750X adventurer.

The patent also shows the engine equipped with Honda’s proprietary DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission), which is already on the X-Adv and CRF1100 Africa Twin.

More than that, the cam cover’s shape is clearly similar to that of the CRF450R, new Africa Twin and VFR1200F which means it will feature the Unicam set up. It’s not variable valve timing/lift, however.

Having an 800cc to 850cc displacement also makes sense since their European rivals namely BMW and Triumph are currently the ones to beat. We shall see what comes of this.

Italian Town Issues “Ducati” Banknotes

A small Italian town issued their own “Ducati” banknotes.

It is distributed to residents who are in need.

The notes enable the folks to shop in local businesses.

A small Italian town with only 550 residents called Castellino del Biferno minted their own “Ducati” banknotes during the current Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.

Italy was the nation hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic after China, before surges in other countries. The government has since placed the entire nation under lockdown to stem the spread of the disease.

Obviously, the lockdown has also hit the town which is situated in southern Italy. The town’s mayor, Enrico Fratangelo explained the decision to save the local economy. There are only four businesses open now.

The central government had previously disbursed a € 5,500 grant to distribute food vouchers to the townsfolk. The town council added some of its savings and came up with the Ducati banknotes. The notes were then distributed to some 200 families with various needs.

The local residents can then spend the money at local businesses. Shops will send the notes to the local council every fortnight and be reimbursed. The mayor believes the notes will also impart a sense of belonging.

One “Ducati” is worth € 1, “Five Ducati” are equivalent to € 5, and so forth. The mayor says doing so avoids confusion especially among senior citizens.

Source: euronews

What You Need to do When the MCO Ends

The Movement Control Order (MCO) is slated to end on 28^th April.
There are certain steps to take after being idle for so long.
These tips can also apply should the MCO be extended.

The Movement Control Order (MCO) is slated to end on 28^th April. Whether it will be extended remains to be seen and is up to speculation.

But here are the things you need to do or look out for if indeed the order is rescinded. A number of these steps can also be performed should the MCO be extended further.

1. Start the engine

If you don’t do it already every two days, it’s a good time to do so. An idling engine will at least get some oil to flow, and coolant if your bike is liquid cooled. It won’t charge your battery much but at least some. Listen for abnormal sounds. Run it for a good 20 minutes.

2. Check your bike thoroughly

Give you bike a complete check, and we don’t mean by just starting the engine. Check if the headlamp’s high and low beams are working. Similarly, check the taillamp and brake lamp. Next check the signal lamps and horn. Make sure the brakes are working. Look under the engine for signs of oil leaks. Clean and lubricate the chain. Lube the cables and moving parts.

3. Check the tyre pressures

The pressures would’ve dropped, without a doubt. So do check the pressures, at least by visiting a petrol station and reinflating the tyres while they are cold. Also don’t forget to check for signs of cracks or abnormalities on the tyres.

4. Take time to heat up the tyres

Tyres that’ve been left alone will release its oils to the surface, making them slippery. This is especially true for sport-oriented tyres. As such, do not slam the bike into the first corner you see. I know, you’re excited to ride again and so are we, but it has to be approached carefully at first.

5. Warm up your brain and body

Take it easy at first. The brain and body need to catch up to being at speed again. Reflexes will undoubtedly be slow and takes time to adjust. Trying to get a kneedown right away at Karak will be asking for trouble. This can be seen in the high number of motorcycle accidents and fatalities after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

6. Service the bike

You may as well service your bike. You don’t need to if you’ve covered just 1000 km before the MCO began, but it’ll be best to do so if you’ve run more than 3000 km on the current oil. Treat your bike to fresh oil, spark plugs, coolant and clean air filter. Bikes may not be living creatures, but they hate being idle as much as we do.

7. Social distancing still applies

Don’t take things for granted. The Covid-19 virus is always looking for a victim, regardless of age, race or conviction. With this in mind, do not organize large convoys or join one. Not yet. Spare one or two face masks so that you can use them should you come across large groups. Best also to spare two pairs of nitrile gloves and wear them when you’re off the bike. Oh, don’t forget a bottle of hand sanitizer.

The Differences Between Motorcycle Helmets and Car Helmets

While both motorcycle helmets and car helmets protect the head, they are for different purposes.
It’s due to different kinds of dynamics.
Safe to say, please don’t mix the two.

Helmets are helmets, right? Well, they do share the same objective in protecting our noggins, but there are differences between motorcycle helmets and car helmets.

First and foremost, auto racing helmets are usually SA certified by the Snell Memorial Foundation. “SA” stands for “Special Application,” and the current standard is SA2020. The organization is a non-profit entity, which was founded in 1956 in honour William “Pete” Snell who died in a racing accident. After his demise, his friends, doctors and scientists got together to research, develop and improve the effectiveness of helmets.

There is a Snell standard regarding motorcycle helmets too, and the latest standard is M2020. Snell’s methods of testing and certification do overlap with those of UN ECE and DOT, but there are a number of differences that are tougher to pass. We know this because we had visited Arai Helmets’ factory in Japan. The brand favours the Snell standard over others. But we’ll leave that aside for a moment. The most popular worldwide standard is the UN ECE 22.05.

But let’s take a look at the number of differences between motorcycle and auto racing helmets. We’ll keep it general.

1. Fire rating

Auto racing helmets are required to undergo fire testing. That’s because the driver may get trapped inside a burning car. As such, the interior fabric of auto helmets is made of Nomex, a fire retarding material. The rubber gasket around the eye opening is also meant to melt and seal the visor against the helmet to keep flames out.

On the other hand, motorcycle riders usually fall clear of their motorcycles. Yes, there were cases of motorcycles catching fire and their riders were burnt to death, but that’s very rare. Consequently, the interior paddings of motorcycle helmets are usually covered by different types of nylons.

2. Impact absorption

The types of impact are different between being knocked about in a car than crashing a bike. A motorcycle helmet needs to contend with not only knocks, but abrasion due to sliding, as well. In a car, the head may hit the roll cage or steering wheel or side window or roof (should the car go belly up) but there’s no sliding involved.

3. Provision of HANS device

All SA rated helmets beginning SA2015 must include threaded inserts to accept the HANS (Head and Neck Safety) device. The device keeps the head from snapping ahead too much, to reduce the likelihood of head and neck injuries, besides basilar skull fracture. Basilar skull fracture refers to breaking the spinal/skull joint, which could lead to instant death. It’s actually akin to being hanged. The most famous case of this fatality was NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt in 2001.

Conversely, the HANS device would instead be counterintuitive to motorcycle riders as riders sit on the bike in a completely different posture compared to car drivers.

Besides that, riders need to move their heads around more than car drivers do.

4. Shape/Ventilation/Aerodynamics/Noise

Car helmets don’t have to contend with shape, ventilation, aerodynamics and noise (the reason is self-explanatory).

We riders are exposed to the elements thus these are very important factors for comfort and safety. For example: Motorcycle helmets have higher and wider eyeports; need more vents for comfort; aerodynamic designs for stability; and lower noise levels.

Conclusion

So there you are, please don’t wear car racing helmets while riding. Granted certain motorcycle helmets may be accepted for auto racing provided if they are certified by Snell. But again, please don’t mix the two, just like you don’t use car engine oil in your motorcycle engine and vice versa.

Developments Banned for 2020 and 2021 MotoGP Seasons

The Grand Prix Commission (GPC) announced bans for development in the 2020 and 2021 MotoGP seasons.
They seek to control the costs in an economy affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Teams will need to start with their homologated 2020 specs.

The Grand Prix Commission (GPC) announced sweeping changes including banning further developments for the 2020 and 2021 MotoGP seasons.

These bans seek to cut development costs in a year when economies around the world are ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Consequently, all six manufacturers involved in the MotoGP class will have to start the rest of the season (should it take place at all) with the engines they submitted to the GPC after the conclusion of the pre-season tests earlier this year.

Furthermore, the teams will also have to start the 2021 season with the 2020 spec engines.

The development freeze goes beyond the engines, as well. Aerodynamic developments have likewise been banned. The GPC will only accept the specs submitted to them in March this year.

The GPC is doing to keep a level playing field when racing gets away again. Otherwise, the more affluent manufacturers may keep developing their bikes throughout this lockdown period and suddenly show up with a whole bunch of new stuff.

Manufacturers currently involved in MotoGP are Aprilia, Ducati, KTM, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha.

The GPC has also extended the bans to the Moto2 and Moto3 classes.

New Benelli TnT600i (BN600i) Pictures Leaked?

Pictures of a new The Benelli TnT600i (or BN600i in other markets) were seemingly leaked over the internet.
The new bike shows aesthetic changes.
Mechanical parts look the same.

Pictures of a new The Benelli TnT600i (or BN600i in other markets) were seemingly leaked over the internet.

The new bike shows aesthetic changes, while the rest of its parts look status quo.

Starting from the front, the “new” bike will have a twin headlamp setup, differing from the current type which has been in circulation for a long time. The fuel tank also appears to have changed.

Apart from that, the exhaust silencers are no longer sited under the seat and are instead underslung under the engine. Doing so may save some weight as well as giving the bike a more centralized center of gravity.

With the silencers relocated, the tailsection looks tidier and a splash guard is mounted on the swingarm. It might carry the number plate plus turnsignals a la MV Agusta Brutale.

There is also speculation that this bike will receive a new TFT screen, which remains to be seen. Benelli has stuck with the conventional analogue RPM meter and an LCD screen for too long.

That howling inline-Four engine looks the same, although the exhaust headers are now aligned and parallel to each other.

We just hope that the previous random starting problems have been sorted.

Top 10 Suzuki Motorcycles (Part 2)

Suzuki is one manufacturer who used to be associated with groundbreaking motorcycle design and innovations.
Their bikes have left an indelible mark in motorcycling.
We take a look at ten out of the many.

Continuing our 10 Best Suzuki Motorcycles series, here are the Top 5. We’re picking them according to their significance in motorcycling.

5. DR650

Why the DR, you ask? Well, it’s remained mostly unchanged and is still one of the best-selling bikes in many countries since 1990. It’s a bike built to be simple and reliable, with low running costs, so much so that anyone who can hold a wrench can fix it. As of 2020, it’s the best-seller in New Zealand and was so in Canada and Australia in previous years. It’s so reliable that we named it one of the bikes to have post-apocalypse.

4. GS series (1976 to 1992)

Suzuki’s GS series began a long time back and was developed through the years until 1992. It began with the GS400 and GS750, the latter patterned after the Kawasaki Z1. Engine size began to climb along with those developments. Suzuki’s reputation of building bikes with “bulletproof” engines began with the GS1000. The over-engineered engines could be tuned to much higher power outputs without detonating, and it’s what famed tuner Pops Yoshimura used to his advantage: One bike won the 1978 Daytona Superbike race, another in the 1979 Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance, and finally the AMA Superbike titles in 1980 and 1981 with Wes Cooley. Some tuners even achieved 300 hp with turbocharging. The architecture of these engines were further developed into the later GSX-R1100 series and survived into the recent Bandit GSF-1200.

3. GSX-R1100 (1986)

Suzuki was the last to move away from the UJM (Universal Motorcycle Motorcycle) type of design. The GSX-R1100 was the replacement of the famous but ageing GS lineup. The GSX-R1100 began with oil-cooling before being liquid-cooled in 1993 (the WP variant). The biggest changes from the GS series were the frame, engine and design. The GSX-R used an aluminium box section cradle frame; the WP’s engine saw 155 hp; and it took on the look of modern superbikes. The 16-valve, inline-Four engine built upon’s Suzuki’s bulletproof reputation and remains a favourite among drag racers, often seeing supercharging and more than 500 hp.

2. GSX-R750 (1985 to present)

The GSX-R750 didn’t truly break new grounds in terms of innovations when it was introduced in 1984 (production began in 1985). It was however, considered to be the first affordable, modern, road-legal replica racer. It also brought along concepts in building lightweight motorcycles, and actually did that twice in its long lineage, with the 1996 model, better known as SRAD (Suzuki Ram Air Direct). That T-variant weighed only 179 kg with an engine that produced 125 hp.

1. GSX1100S Katana (1981)

No.1 had to be the original Katana. It broke the norms of motorcycle designs of the time and left a lasting impression until today. A typical bike prior to it had separate headlamp, seat and fuel tank, but it’s was the Katana that changed it all. The 1100cc was also powerful and Suzuki claimed it to be the world’s fastest production bike during its introduction. It’s only right that the manufacturer brought back the name in 2019.

Top 10 Suzuki Motorcycles (Part 1)

Suzuki is one manufacturer who used to be associated with groundbreaking motorcycle design and innovations.
Their bikes have left an indelible mark in motorcycling.
We take a look at ten out of the many.

Suzuki is one manufacturer who used to be associated with groundbreaking motorcycle design and innovations. They may have lost their edge with the current crop of motorcycles but who knows if they would hit back with something jaw-dropping in the future.

Still, they’ve left an indelible mark on motorcycling. Let’s take a look at some of them as they celebrate their 100^th anniversary this year.

10. TL1000S/TL1000R (1997-2001/1998-2003)

When Ducati turned out to be the pesky little Italian manufacturer who beat all the giant manufacturers with their lower powered and simpler V-Twin superbikes in World Superbike, Suzuki (and Honda) decided to build their own V-Twins to compete. The result was vis-à-vis Ducati’s 90-degree V-Twin format but tuned for more power. First came the naked TL1000S in 1997, while the full-faired TL1000R followed a year later. Neither had much success due to their wild character, but Bimota used the engine in their popular SB8K. The engine was further developed for the SV1000 and V-Strom 1000. The latter is still in production.

9. SV650/SFV650/Gladius (1999 to present)

The SV650 was the smaller SV1000 but it proved to be more popular than the latter. The reason is simple: The smaller bike is sweeter to ride due to its lower weight and non-threatening power output.

8. GSX-1300R Hayabusa (1999-2019)

The Hayabusa was Suzuki’s answer to the speed war between Honda and Kawasaki. And it was a thumb in the eyes of both rivals, as it broke past the 300 km/h barrier and hit 312 km/h. Designed in a windtunnel, the bike had an unconventional look which polarized opinion. As the “King Speed of Title” isn’t valid any longer, the Hayabusa holds the record as the fastest road legal production bike, ever. (The H2R doesn’t qualify as it’s not road legal.)

8. RG250 (1978-1982)/RG250 Gamma (1983-1987)/RGV250 Gamma (1988-1998)

Suzuki RGV250 Lucky Strike – Photo credit motorcyclespecs.co.za

No list is complete without these two-strokes. The smokers were having a battle royale during the time and it was the RG250 which broke new grounds with an aluminium cradle frame. Light, fast and looking like a proper race replica, it went like stink. But the RG series went better when the RG250 Gamma was introduced in 1983. It was the fastest quarter-litre two-stroke for years, which would embarrass even the big-cc superbikes. The most beautiful powerful iteration was the RGV250 Gamma in 1988. The new V-Twin engine started out with 50 hp (VJ21), then going to 62 hp (VJ22) and topped out at 70 hp in the 1997-1998 “SP” (VJ23) version. Aprilia purchased the VJ22 engines and modified it for their RS250.

6. RG500 Gamma (1984-1987)

The RG500 Gamma was actually the reply to Yamaha’s RD/RZ500, besides commemorating the GP victories in the 500cc GP class in 1981 with Marco Luchinelli and 1982 with Franco Uncini. Using the square four-cylinder (no, the cylinders and pistons are square in shape), twin-crank two-stroke, it made 94.9 hp, for a bike that weighed only 154 kg, dry. It was by far the most powerful 500cc two-stroke at the time and had an aluminium box section frame. Unfortunately, it was only produced for a short period of time. Collectors will pay big money for these.

10 Best Sounding Bikes (Part 2)

Good sounding bikes brings out a certain emotion in us.
Sounds are subjective.
But some truly sounded great.

As we conclude this “10 Best Sounding Bikes” series, I would like to say that I truly miss the sounds of not just big bikes but of most bikes. The Covid-19 lockdown has brought on an even stronger sense of yearning to ride.

Till then, the sounds of a number of bikes do bring back a sense of nostalgia. The older bikes seem to sound better, since there wasn’t any or much regulation that emasculated their sounds. These sounds emanated not from just the exhaust but also from the engines, which added a character to the bike.

5. BMW R nine T

One of our friends pointed out this bike. We won’t disagree. The BMW Boxer has been liquid-cooled since 2003, bring along lots of refinement. However, the R nine T retro series is still oil/air-cooled. They have this low-down “vrom.” Not “vroom,” but “vrom.”

4. Suzuki GSX-R 750/1000

We’re talking about the classic Gixxers here. With the right pipes, they had a distinctive bark when blipped then sounded like Imperial TiE fighters (watch Star Wars and you’ll understand) at high revs. Suzuki sounds best with Yoshimura exhausts, right? That’s because the factory worked with the fame tuner for a long time. Check out this 1986 Yoshimura Suzuki Suzuka 8 Hours endurance racer, ridden by Kevin Schwantz and Satoshi Tsujimoto.

3. Any two-stroke(!)

Ah, ye ol’ smokers. Nothing sounded dangerous like an angry swarm of bees under the tank than a two-stroke singing “on the pipe” at 10,000 RPM. Never mind that some two-strokes (especially Yamahas) sounded like they’re wet farting during tickover. Watch this video below and see how the engine comes alive from 9,500 RPM onwards.

2. Honda CBX

No other bike could ever sound like the Honda CBX1000. That’s because it was an inline-Six, produced to be the fastest production bike. Oh, it braps. Yes, it howls. But with the right mechanical symphony mixed in.

1. Ducati 888

It was hard to decide between the CBX and 888. But maybe because the 888 not only sounded like thunder from far away, it also sounded like a (smaller) piston engine fighter plane flying too low. Its rumble reverberates inside your rib cage, while that dry clutch rattles like a trash compactor eating a metal spoon. Added together with a goose-like intake honk under the tank, it was a sound that stirred the soul. Even its predecessor, the 851 and roadgoing 900SS cousin sounded (almost) like that. This was one of the last bellowing V-twin sportbikes ever produced, besides the 916.

10 Best Sounding Bikes (Part 1)

Good sounding bikes brings out a certain emotion in us.
Sounds are subjective.
Here are 10 best sounding bikes.

Okay, okay, how a bike sounds is subjective just like how a bike looks. But there’s no denying a certain emotion when we hear a melodious one. But we’ve decided to put together a list of the 10 best sounding bikes, anyhow. Do leave us a comment on which other bike or bikes that you think sounded great.

You may notice that all the bikes here are pre-Euro 4 and Euro 5. That’s when they sounded glorious!

Turn it up to 11 for some eargasm.

10. Harley-Davidson Big Twin

Like it or not, it has to be here. Harley-Davidson Twins, and Big Twins in particular do produce a distinctive sound. Credit that to air-cooling which still allows much mechanical (if not “agricultural”) sounds through. Heavy metal thunder? Roll it on.

9. Kawasaki Ninja ZXR-750

No, not the new Ninja ZX-10R. Instead, its predecessor the ZXR-750 takes the cake. It has a warble and roar at low to mid-RPMs which turns into a mad trumpet at high RPMs. It has to be heard to appreciate.

8. BMW S 1000 RR

Well, any four-cylinder engine with the traditional 180-degree crank would sound the same. But the S 1000 RR has a slight mechanical edge to that howl. Most of all, however, and everyone could agree is when the rider toes the quickshifter.

7. Yamaha R1 (2006 onwards)

Yamaha changed their crank configuration to the now famous “crossplane.” It’s because Valentino Rossi liked the race bike’s engine with the same format. It was then adopted to the street bike. The result is a bike that sounds like a V-Four at lower RPMs then mixing in the howl of an inline-Four when the needle sweeps higher up. We were so engrossed with that we found ourselves riding the test bike much harder. Oops.

6. Aprilia RSV4/Tuono V4

Talking about V-Four engines, the RSV4 and Tuono V4 are the last V-Four production sportbikes. The V-Four engine is a wonderful unit but it’s much more expensive to produce and maintain, besides harder to pack inside a frame. Anyhow, just ride either one of these bikes through a tunnel and pull through a gear or two. No other bikes make the same sound. That roar, that warble. Heaven.

Top 10 Kawasaki Motorcycles of All Time (Part 2)

Kawasaki consistently produced motorcycles that stir up the market.
The Big Green Machine’s approach has always been about raw power and speed.
This was why they have many “World’s Fastest Production Motorcycle” accolades in their history.

Pushed on through rivalry with the other Japanese manufacturers, Kawasaki consistently produced motorcycles that stir up the market. The Big Green Machine’s approach has always been about more power and speed. They’ve succeeded on many counts and thereby hold the honour of “World’s Fastest Production Motorcycle” with a number of models.

So, let’s take a look at some of them. Again, there are just too many to list here, so we’ll continue the list in chronological order.

5. KR-1/KR-1S (1988)

Kawasaki isn’t all about four-strokes. The K1-R and the later K-1RS aren’t race-inspired like their competitors’ 250cc two-strokes but it was known to be the most powerful and fastest. Both models shared the 249cc parallel-Twin. The former’s produced 55 hp, which was upgraded to 65 hp. Weight started out at just 123 kg then grew to 131 kg. It hit 225 km/h, making it the fastest among all, including the early Aprilia RS250. However, the bike had a tendency to seize its pistons, so Kawasaki made them only in small numbers. It’s a collectors’ item now.

4. ZZ-R1000/Ninja ZX-10 (1988)

Kawasaki’s reputation of building world fearsom bikes is pretty much set now and they weren’t going to stop. So, in 1988, the built another world’s fastest production bike. The 997cc engine produced 135 hp and gave the bike a 266 km/h top speed. It’s also the first Kawasaki to employ an aluminium perimeter frame.

3. ZXR-750/Ninja ZX-7 (1989)

The ZXR-750/ZX-7 certainly deserves a place in this countdown. It made its debut in 1989, in time for the third World Superbike season in 1990. It had to contend with rivals Honda, Yamaha and of course the Ducati juggernaut. But it came good in 1993 when Scott Russel won Kawasaki’s first ever superbike title. All versions of the ZX-7 are still much sought after by collectors.

2. ZZ-R1100/Ninja ZX-11 (1990)

Just two years after the ZX-10 smash the fastest production bike record, along came this beast. The engine was enlarged and now produced 145 hp, pushing the bike to a top speed of 283 km/h. It also ran the quarter mile in 10.43 seconds. It’s still fast by today’s standards. This was the bike that spurred Honda to create the CBR1100XX Super Black Bird and the Suzuki Hayabusa.

1. Ninja ZX-10R (2004 to present)

Just like its ZX-7 predecessor, the ZX-10R was built to contest in the World Superbike Championship. The manufacturer went away blank until Tom Sykes captured their first title in 20 years. Since then, Kawasaki had won another five championships including last year’s making them the second most successful manufacturer behind Ducati. They could well continue. The current ZX-10R produces 197 hp and does the quarter mile in 10.03 seconds. It’s also loaded with the latest electronic gear plus suspension.

Where’s the H2 series?

That’s a little too easy, isn’t it? The hyperbike is in a series by itself. It’s currently the most successful forced induction bike but it also costs a bomb. The ZX-10R, on the other hand, is more attainable.

Top 10 Kawasaki Motorcycles of All Time (Part 1)

Kawasaki consistently produced motorcycles that stir up the market.
The Big Green Machine’s approach has always been about raw power and speed.
This was why they have many “World’s Fastest Production Motorcycle” accolades in their history.

So, let’s take a look at some of them. Again, there are just too many to list here, so we’ll list in chronological order.

10. H1 Mach III (1969)

The H1 Mach III was a 499cc, three-cylinder, two-stroke. Its sole purpose was to win traffic GPs, specifically in the US. And it sure was fast. It would blast through 400m (1/4 mile) in 12.4 seconds and hit nearly 190 km/h in just over 13 seconds. To do so, Kawasaki lightened the bike to 174 kg by removing as much material as possible, resulting in a bike with skinny frame, forks, rear shocks, and swingarm. Forget about curves, much less corners. And it had skinny tyres and drum brakes. But heck, it was faster than the “first superbike”: The Honda CB750.

9. H2 Mach IV (1972)

As if the H1 Mach III’s madness wasn’t enough, here came the H2 Mach IV. It’s still a triple, it’s still a two-stroke, but now with a bigger 748cc capacity. Power went up from the H1’s 60 hp to 74 hp. However, it was a bit tamer in its power delivery, yet achieving the same performance as the H1 Mach III.

8. Z1 (1972)

The Z1 overshadowed the H2 Mach IV and everything else when it was launched. Meant to recapture the crown from the CB750, it went on to become a legend. Its 900cc, inline-Four, four-stroke engine made 82 hp and took the bike to 210 km/h. It also shattered my speed records along the way.

7. KZ1000 (1977)

Also known as the Z1000, it was the beginning of the “Z” bikes. Its racing version dominated road racing in a number of countries including Britain, America, Australia and the European continent. It’s the KZ1000 that gave rise to future GP stars such as Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson and Wayne Gardner.

6. GPz900 Ninja (1984)

A screen grab from Top Gun (1986) featuring Tom Cruise

When Van Diesel’s character in The Fast & Furious said, “You owe me a 10-second car” (10 seconds for the ¼-mile run), we actually laughed out loud in the theater. The reason was this bike. The GPz900 Ninja was the first production bike to feature a 16-valve DOHC engine and it produced 115 hp. That power pushed the bike to a 243 km/h top speed. But, better yet, it hurled the bike down the ¼-mile (400 m) in 10.55 seconds. Stock bike. Not modified. In 1984. It even had a centre stand. Unlike that Supra in the movie. The GPz900 was the fastest production motorcycle of the time and it earned its place in Hollywood as the bike ridden by Tom Cruise in Top Gun.

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

Honda has just filed the patents for a new 800cc engine.

It could be the platform for an 800cc Honda Africa Twin.

The patents also show it being equipped with DCT.

The Movement Control Order (MCO) is slated to end on 28th April.

There are certain steps to take after being idle for so long.

These tips can also apply should the MCO be extended.